How Swedish Mining Automation Group is sparking digital disruption in the Canadian mining sector – by Laura Mullan (Gigabit Magazine – December 04, 2018)

Business Sweden Canada with partners from the Swedish mining industry has created SMAG to help the mining sector evolve into a more sustainable and innovative industry

Mining is often cited as one of the last remaining industries to be disrupted by technology, but that is changing quickly.

From driverless trucks to robotic drills, digitisation is quickly bringing a new measure of safety to mines. It’s also boosting the efficiency of how we obtain the precious minerals needed to make everything from modern cars to devices. In the coming years, mining automation is primed for explosive growth, and it seems that one Nordic country is set to be at the epicentre of it all.

Sweden may be a small mining nation but when it comes to mining technology, it’s considered to be in a league of its own. Looking to collaborate and foster innovation in the mining sector, six Swedish mining technology firms have joined forces with Business Sweden to create the Swedish Mining Automation Group (SMAG).

Formed just one year ago, SMAG is a collaborative ecosystem that plans to revolutionise mining, creating a more sustainable industry by innovating holistic solutions together with mining companies.

Jointly owned by the Government of Sweden and representatives from the Swedish business community, Business Sweden works across an array of different industries but mining has proven to be a key area for optimism. One such person who helped to steer this new focus is Business Sweden’s Project Manager and Mining Industry Advisor Christian Orrego Silvander. He believes that this collaboration between Swedish automation groups and other global miners is a win-win partnership.